Waste food grinder



June 5, 1951 c. H. EWING 2,555,583

WASTE FOOD GRINDER Filed June 16, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 il INVENTORCLIFTON H. EwlNG `Ew 7F n AQRNEY Patented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATESPATENT QFFICE WASTE FOOD GRINDER Application .I une 16, 1949, Serial No.99,451

4 Claims.

1 My invention relates to a waste food grinder, more particularly to anassembly for suspending the grinder from the bottom wall of a sink atthe drain opening thereof, and it has for an object to provide animproved assembly of this provide an adapter ring which seats in thedrain opening of the sink; and which comprises a tubular portion and aflange. which may be in the form of a split snap ring, is seated in agroove or on a shoulder on the outer surface of the tubular portion. Asupporting ring rests on the retaining ring, being preferably providedwith a recess in which the retaining ring is received. The supportingring and the tubular portion are provided with interlocking or lkeyportions to assure alignment therebetween. Such key portions preferablycomprise a vertical keyway in the outer surface of the tubular portionand a key projecting into the keyway from the inner periphery of thesupporting ring. The housing is bolted to the supporting ring and ismaintained in aligned relation therewith by disposing the attachingbolts in nonuniformly spaced relation.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the lower end of thetubular portion of the adapter ring closely approaches the upper end ofthe housing and a single gasket provides a seal therebetween, therebyminimizing possibility of leakage of fluid from the housing. Also, theinterior surfaces of the lower end of the tubular portion, the gasketand the upper end of the housing are Substantially ush with each otherand curved smoothly and gently and of sufficiently steep slope so thatsaid surfaces are Washed clean by the flow of water through the housing.

These and other objects are eilected by my invention as will be apparentfrom the following description and plaims taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section,

A retaining ring, w

showing a waste food grinder attached to a sink by my improved mountingassembly;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the closure member;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the grinder showing the closure and themounting assembly;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section, taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3,showing the upper portion of the grinder, including the mountingassembly and the closure;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line V-V of Fig. 4;and

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the upper portien of the grinder,showing parts of the mounting assembly in section.

Referring to the drawing in detail, I show a waste food grinder IDhaving a housing II and also having my novel mounting assembly I2, bymeans of which it is suspended from the bottom wall I3 of a sink. Thegrinder proper is of a construction heretofore known. It comprises aflywheel Ill driven by a motor I5 and carrying a pair ofA cutters orimpellers i6.

The mounting assembly, shown more particularly in Figs. 4 and 6,comprises first an adapter ring I'l which seats in the drain opening ofthe sink I3. The adapter ring I1, which is also commonly referred to asa sink flange, comprises a tubular portion I8 and a flange I9 thatoverlies the portion of the bottom wall I3 surrounding the drainopening. The mounting assembly further includes a supporting ring 2l, aretaining ring 22, stud bolts 23 and nuts 24. The retaining ring 22 is aresilient or snap ring which is split as shown at 22a in Fig. 5, topermit it to be expanded for assembly. It seats in an annular groove 25formed in the outer surface of the' tubular portion I8, adjacent thelower end thereof. The lower surface of ,the groove 25, which supportsthe ring 22, constitutes an up- Wardly facing shoulder. The supportingring 2| rests on the retaining ring 22 and is preferably provided with arecess to receive the retaining ring, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, therebyserving to prevent expansion of the retaining ring when assembled. Thesupporting ring 2I and the tubular portion I8 are provided withinterlocking or key portions for holding the same in alignment againstrelative rotation. In the illustrated embodiment, the tubular portion I8is formed with a vertical slot or keyway 2lin its outer surface, and thesupporting ring 2l is formed, on its inner periphery, with a key 23projecting into the vertical keyway 21.

The housing II is provided at the top with a flange 29, which is boltedto the supporting ring 2l by the stud bolts 23 and the nuts 24. Asillustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, the bolts 23 and the bolt openings in theflange 29 and the ring 2| are spaced non-uniformly circumferentially, soas to assure that the housing and the ring will be assembled in theproper relation. TheV spacing of the bolts and the bolt openings inFigs. 3 and 5 permits assembly of the housing and the ring in only onecircumferential or angular relation. However, there may be employed aspacing which permits assembly in either one of two diametricallyopposite relative positions, especially where the closure is providedwith duplicate cam surfaces for operating the switch, as hereinafterdescribed.

A clamping ring 3| also encompasses the tubular portion I8 and is forcedupwardly by the bolts 23 to clamp the edge portion of the wall I3.between the flange I9 and the ring 3|. A gasket A32 may be providedbetween the ring 3| and the wall I3.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the outer surface of the tubular portion I8below the groove 25 is of convex conical form, tapering downwardly, asindicated at 36. The housing is formed with a concave conical surface 31arranged in opposed relation to the convex conical surface 35. A gasket35 has a flat portion which is clamped between theflange 29 and the ring2|, and a conical portion which is clamped between the conical surfaces3B and 31 to provide a liquid seal. As will be noted from Fig. 4, thereis a sufficient width of the conical surface 35 below the bottom wall ofthe keyway 21, so that the gasket 35 seals effectively adjacent thekeyway. The gasket 35 also has tubular portions encompassing the fourbolts 23 and extending into the bolt openings in the flange 29.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the inner surface of the gasket 35 and theadjacent inner surfaces of the tubular portion I8 and the housing aresubstantially flush with each other and pro- Vide a smooth, gentlycurved surface, extending downwardly at a sufficiently steep incline, sothat these surfaces are swept by the water flowing through the grinderand are thereby kept clean.

The top opening of the grinder is adapted to be closed by a closure 4|,which is of known construction. 'Ihe closure comprises a plate 42 whichhas four openings 43 of segmental form, ,and a second plate 44 which isrotatable relative to the plate 42, by means of a handle 45. The plate44 has four recesses or openings, also of segmental form, which areadapted to register with the openings 43 to permit flow of liquid intothe housing when the plate is in the position shown in Fig. 2 or when itis turned 90 degrees in counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 2.When the plate 44 is turned 45 degrees in counterclockwise direction, asseen in Fig, 2, it closes `the openings 43.

The tubular portion I8 is provided with a conical surface 46 whichprovides a seat for the plate v42, and it is also provided with twodiametrically opposite chordal portions 41 (Fig. 5) cooperating withcomplementary recesses 43 (Fig. 2) of the plate 42 to limit positioningof the plate 42 to either one of two diametrically opposite positions.The plate 44 is provided with two extensions 49 which are adapted toengage under the chordal portions 41 to lock the closure in 4place whenthe plate 44 is turned 90 degrees after being placed in its position. -Y

In accordance with a known safety feature,

there is provided a switch 5| which prevents operation of the grinderexcept when the closure is in place. The switch 5| is actuated by acrank 52, mounted on a shaft 53 and having a projection 54. The plate 44is provided with two identical projections 55, extending downwardly fromthe extensions 49. Each of these projections 55 is formed with a camsurface 56 which is adapted, when it is disposed adjacent the projection54, to engage the projection 54 for closing the switch, as shown in Fig.6. Since there are two of these projections, the switch 5I may beoperated with the closure in either one of two diametrically oppositepositions. The structure of the present invention is necessarily andinherently assembled in proper alignment both rotationally andvertically, thereby assuring that one of the cam surfaces 56 will be inproper operative relation to the projection 54 to assure actuation ofthe switch.

Assembly To mount the waste food grinder in suspended relation to thebottom wall I3 of a sink, the adapter ring I1 is rst seated in the drainopening of the sink, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. The gasket 32, theclamping ring 3 I, and the supporting ring 2| are then successivelyassembled over the tubular portion I8, the key 28 of the supporting ringbeing engaged in the keyway 21. The retaining or split ring 22 is thenslipped over the tubular portion I8, the conical surface 35 serving tospread the ring, until the ring engages in the groove 25, into which thering contracts. The supporting ring 2| is then brought down to rest onthe retaining ring and also to retain it against expansion. The studbolts 23 are inserted through the screw-threaded openings in thesupporting ring 2| until they abut the clamping ring 3| to clamp thesink wall I3 between the ring and the flange I9. The grinder proper,with the gasket 35 resting on the flange 29, is then raised to positionin the proper angular or circumferential relation, so that the bolts 23extend through the bolt'cpenings in the gasket and the flange, whereuponthe washers and the nuts 24 are assembled to fasten the housing to thesupporting ring and to clamp the gasket 35 therebetween.

Operation To operate the grinder, it is necessary to install the closure4|, which can be placed in either one of the two diametrically oppositepositions, but not in any intermediate position. rAfter the the closureis placed in position, the plate 44 is rotated degrees, counterclockwiseas seen in Fig. 2, or clockwise as seen from above. In this position theextensions 43 engage under the chordal portions 41 to lock the closurein place. Also, the recesses in the plate 44 are again in registry withthe openings 43 to permit ow of water therethrough. At the same time,one of the projections 55 moves into engagement with the projection 54to turn the shaft 53 and close the switch 5 I.

The motor is now energized by known means which form no part of thisinvention. vDuring such operation, there is flow of cold water admittedthrough the openings 43 to carry away the ground material. Due to thefact that the abovementioned inner surfaces of the lower end of thetubular portion I8, the gasket 35 and the housing aresubstantially flushand smoothly curved and extend downwardly at a sufficiently steep ineline, these surfaces are swept by such flow of water and are therebykept clean. The cleaning of these surfaces is also very effective whenthe closure i is removed, at which time the water can ilow more directlyto these surfaces. rihis may be done, for example, after a grindingoperaM tion is completed.

It will thus be seen that the grinder may be easily and quicklyinstalled, and that alignment is assured. The supporting ring 2l cannotbe installed except in the proper relation to the adapter ring Il', byreason of the key 28 and the ring 22 in the groove 25, and alignmentbetween the casing and ring 2i is assured by reason of the unequalspacing of the :bolts and the bolt openings. The particular advantage ofthe retaining ring 22 is that it assures that the supporting ring 2lwill be located in a fixed vertical relation to the adapter ring il,since the supporting rin-g 2| cannot be supported in any but the onefixed position, as distinguished from a screw-threaded arrangement, inwhich it is difficult to assure iixed positioning because of possiblefailure to rotate the parts to bring them to the proper posin tion. Itis thus assured that one of the cam surfaces 56 will be in properoperating relation to the projection 5d for controlling the switch di.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various changes and modications without departing from the spiritthereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a waste food grinder, the combination of a housing having anopening at the top and an outwardly extending nange surrounding said topopening, an adapter ring comprising a vertical tubular portion having anoutwardly extending flange at the top, said tubular portion having anupwardly facing, ring-supporting shoulder on the exterior thereof andalso having a vertical keyway, a supporting ring encompassing saidtubular portion, said supporting ring having a key projecting inwardlyfrom its inner periphery into said keyway, a retaining ring encompassingsaid tubular portion and seated on said shoulder, said supporting ringbeing seated on said retaining ring, and means for securing said housingflange to said supporting ring for supporting said housing, said housingand said supporting ring having aligning means to assure their assemblyin predetermined :angular relation.

2. A waste food grinder as set forth in claim 1 wherein the lower end ofsaid tubular portion and the upper end of said housing have adjacentopposing surfaces adjacent the interior of the housing and furtherincluding 9, gasket between said opposing surfaces, said gasket beingclamped and forming `a seal between said surfaces.

3. In a waste food grinder, the combination of a housing having anopening at the top and an outwardly extending iiange surrounding saidtop opening, an adapter ring comprising `a, vertical tubular portionhaving an outwardly extending flange at the top, said tubular portionhaving an upwardly facing, ring-supporting shoulder on the exteriorthereof and also having a vertical keyway, a supporting ringencompassing said tubular portion, said supporting ring having a keyprojecting inwardly from its inner periphery into said keyway, aretaining ring encompassing said tubular portion and seated on saidshoulder, said supporting ring being seated on said retaining ring, saidsupporting ring and said housing flange having registering openings`which are spaced non-uniformly circumferentially, the openings in thesupporting ring being screwthreaded, and means engaging saidscrewthreaded openings for bolting said housing to said supporting ring.

4. In a waste food grinder, the combination of a housing having anopening at the top and an outwardly extending flange surrounding saidtop opening, an adapter ring comprising a vertical tubular portionhaving an outwardly extending flange at the top, said tubular portionhaving an upwardly facing shoulder on the exterior thereof, a retainingmember seated on said shoulder, a supporting ring encompassing saidtubular portion and .seated on said retaining member, said tubularportion and said supporting ring having aligning means for retaining thesame in predetermined angular relation, said aligning means comprising akey on one of such parts and a vertical keyway or recess in the other ofsaid parts to receive such key, and means for securing said housingiiange to said supporting ring for supporting said housing therefrom,said housing and said supporting ring having aligning means to assuretheir assembly in predetermined angular relation.

CLIFTON I-I. EWING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 174,475 Carleton Mar. 7, 18762,220,724 Powers Nov. 5, 1940

